Device for cleaning a filling hole frame

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a filling hole frame located at the upper end of a filling shaft in the cover of a coke oven chamber. The device comprises a support and a cleaning head that is rotatably mounted on said support and that can be rotatably driven. The cleaning head has at least one cleaning tool for mechanically cleaning the filling hole frame. According to the invention, a blower system comprising at least one blower nozzle is located on the device, a gas stream that points into the filling shaft emanating from said nozzle.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a device for cleaning a filling hole frame which is disposed at the upper end of a filling shaft in the cover of a coke oven chamber. The device comprises a support and a cleaning head which is rotatably mounted on the support so as to be rotatingly drivable. The cleaning head has at least one cleaning tool for mechanically cleaning the filling hole frame.

BACKGROUND

In the operation of the coke oven, coking coal is filled into the coke oven chamber through the filling hole and the adjoining filling shaft. During the coking process, the filling hole is closed by a filling hole lid. It is customary here for the periphery of the filling hole lid to be grouted in a gas-tight manner using a heat-resistant sealing compound. When the filling hole is re-opened, remnants of the cured sealing compound remain on the frame of the filling hole. If said remnants are not removed, they may impede the correct and gas-tight bearing of the filling hole lid during the ensuing coking process. Filling hole frame cleaners which have a rotatably disposed cleaning head with cleaning tools are employed for removing the residues. Such a filling hole frame cleaner is disclosed in DE 1 040 505, for example.

In the known embodiment of a filling hole frame cleaner it is disadvantageous that residues and contaminants which are removed from the filling hole frame may come into contact with the heated wall of the filling hole shaft, may adhere thereto, and may be baked onto the heated wall. On account thereof, the filling cross section of the filling hole is reduced and orderly filling of the coke oven chamber is impeded.

SUMMARY

Against this background, the disclosure is based on the object of providing a device for cleaning a filling hole frame, which ensures that residues which are removed from the filling hole frame do not clog the filling hole or the filling shaft.

The object is achieved according to the disclosure by a device as claimed in claim 1.

The in-principle construction of the device for cleaning a filling hole frame which is disposed at the upper end of a filling shaft in the cover of a coke oven chamber includes a support and a cleaning head which is rotatably mounted on the support so as to be rotatingly drivable. The cleaning head has at least one cleaning tool for mechanically cleaning the filling hole frame. This here may be a brush, in particular a steel brush, or a scraper, for example. According to the disclosure, the device has a blower installation having at least one blower nozzle from which a gas flow which is directed into the filling shaft exits. Released dirt particles are acquired by the gas flow and securely conveyed through the filling shaft into the coke oven chamber. Adhering to the wall of the filling shaft is effectively prevented. Moreover, when an oxygen-containing gas flow, for example compressed air, is used, combustion of any deposits may be stimulated. On account thereof, the gas flow is imparted with an additional cleaning effect which is independent of the cleaning tools of the cleaning device.

According to one advantageous design embodiment, the cleaning head is mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical rotation axis. Here, the blower nozzle is disposed on the cleaning head so as to be radially spaced apart therefrom; the cleaning head has a rotatable connector for a gas supply, which is disposed in the rotation axis. The blower nozzle which is disposed on the cleaning head is conjointly moved by way of the rotation movement of the cleaning head. On account of the radial offset in relation to the rotation axis, the outlet for the gas flow during a rotation movement of the rotation head moves along a circular path. On account thereof, using one blower nozzle or a small number of blower nozzles, the entire circumference of the filling hole frame and of the filling hole can be serviced.

Preferably, the cleaning head has a hollow body which is connected to a gas supply line by way of a rotatable connector. Expediently, a plurality of blower nozzles which on the rear side are connected to a gas-impinged interior of the hollow body are disposed on an external face of the cleaning head which faces the filling shaft. Onward conveying and distributing of the gas through the hollow interior of the cleaning head represents a particularly robust and readily implementable design. The complex installation and maintenance of pipelines and/or hoses on the rotatable cleaning head is dispensed with. On account of a multiplicity of blower nozzles, various angular ranges on the circumference of the filling hole frame and of the filling shaft may be simultaneously impinged with a gas flow.

Expediently, the blower nozzles are replaceably and/or pivotably disposed in mountings of the cleaning head. In this way, polluted or damaged nozzles may be replaced between two cleaning cycles even as operation continues, or the effect of the blower nozzles may be optimized by adjusting the setting angle in relation to the filling shaft.

Particularly preferably, additional blower nozzles which on the rear side are connected to the gas-impinged interior of the hollow body are provided on the cleaning tools. The gas flow exiting from the additional blower nozzles is directed onto the cleaning tools, or onto a seat face of the filling hole frame, which is impinged by the cleaning tools. This gas flow prevents or at least delays polluting and clogging of the cleaning tools. The pollutants which are eased off by the cleaning tools are immediately conveyed onward through the filling hole and cannot clog the cleaning head.

According to one other advantageous design embodiment, the blower installation has a blower head which is disposed in a stationary manner and which has at least one blower nozzle. The cleaning head is configured as an annular body which performs rotation movements about the blower head. In this design embodiment, a rotatable connector of the pressurized gas line is not required on the cleaning head. On account of the functional separation of the blower installation and the cleaning head, the maintenance effort may be reduced.

Preferably, the blower head has a plurality of blower nozzles which are obliquely directed toward the outside and which project from the lower side of the cleaning head. On account of the oblique positioning of the blower nozzles, the wall of the filling shaft is directly impacted by the gas flow. A downwardly oriented flow of external air is also created above this direct flow in the region of the filling hole frame, on account of the entrainment effect of the gas flow which exits from the blower head.

Expediently, the blower head is directly fastened to the support on which the cleaning head is also rotatably mounted. The support may be suspended on pendulum elements. The pendulum elements equalize deviations of the position of the filling hole frame and at all times enable correct placing of the cleaning device on the filling hole frame.

According to one preferred design embodiment of the disclosure, the rotatable bearing of the cleaning head has roller bearings which compensate for tilting movements between the support and the cleaning head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The disclosure will be explained in the following by means of two exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration through a device according to the disclosure for cleaning a filling hole frame in the operating position above a filling hole; and

FIG. 2 shows the illustration of FIG. 1, having an alternative design embodiment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration through a device 1 according to the disclosure for cleaning a filling hole frame 2. The filling hole frame 2 is disposed at the upper end of a filling shaft 3 in the cover of a coke oven chamber (not illustrated). The device 1 comprises a support 4 which is suspended from pendulum elements (likewise not illustrated). A cleaning head 5 having roller bearings 6 is rotatably mounted on the support 4 and is drivable by means of a gear wheel 7. The cleaning head 5 has cleaning tools 8 which in the operating position act on a seat face of the filling hole frame 2. On account of the rotation of the cleaning head 5, the cleaning tools 8 perform mechanical cleaning of the filling hole frame 2. According to the disclosure, a blower installation having at least one blower nozzle 9 from which a gas flow 10 which is directed into the filling shaft 3 exits is provided. The blower nozzles 9 are disposed so as to be radially spaced apart from the vertical rotation axis 11 of the cleaning head 5, and by way of their rear side said blower nozzles 9 protrude into the interior of the cleaning head 5 which is embodied as a hollow body. Said cleaning head 5 is connected to a gas supply line 13 via a rotatable connector 12. Additional blower nozzles 14 which on the rear side are likewise connected to the gas-impinged interior of the cleaning head 5, are additionally provided on the cleaning tools 8. The gas flow 15 which exits from the additional blower nozzles 14 is directed onto the cleaning tools 8, or onto a seat face of the filling hole frame 2, which is impinged by the cleaning tools 8.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative design embodiment of the device 1 according to the disclosure for cleaning a filling hole frame 2. The blower installation has a centrally disposed blower head 16 having at least one blower nozzle 9. The cleaning head 5 is configured as an annular body which performs rotation movements about the blower head. The blower head 16 is fastened to the support 4 by way of a tubular vertical portion 17 of the gas supply line 13. The blower head 16 and the vertical portion 17 of the gas supply line 13 here are disposed so as to be collinear and concentric in relation to the rotation axis 11 of the cleaning head 5. 

1. A device for cleaning a filling hole frame which is disposed at the upper end of a filling shaft in the cover of a coke oven chamber, the device comprising: a support; a cleaning head which is rotatably mounted on the support so as to be rotatingly drivable and which has at least one cleaning tool for mechanically cleaning the filling hole frame; and a blower installation having at least one blower nozzle from which a gas flow which is directed into the filling shaft exits.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head is mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical rotation axis, wherein the blower nozzle is disposed on the cleaning head so as to be radially spaced apart therefrom, and wherein the cleaning head has a rotatable connector for a gas supply, which is disposed in the rotation axis.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the cleaning head has a hollow body, wherein the hollow body is connected to a gas supply line by way of a rotatable connector, and wherein a plurality of blower nozzles which on the rear side are connected to a gas-impinged interior of the hollow body are disposed on an external face of the cleaning head which faces the filling shaft.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the blower nozzles are replaceably and/or pivotably disposed in mountings of the cleaning head.
 5. The device of claim 3 wherein additional blower nozzles which on the rear side are connected to the gas-impinged interior of the hollow body are provided on the cleaning tools, wherein the gas flow exiting from the additional blower nozzles is directed onto the cleaning tools, or onto a seat face of the filling hole frame, which is impinged by the cleaning tools.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the blower installation has a blower head which is disposed in a stationary manner and which has at least one blower nozzle, and in that the cleaning head is configured as an annular body which performs rotation movements about the blower head.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein the blower head has a plurality of blower nozzles which are obliquely directed toward the outside and which project from the lower side of the cleaning head.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the blower head is fastened to the support.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the support is suspended on pendulum elements.
 10. The device of claim 1 wherein the rotatable bearing of the cleaning head has roller bearings which compensate for tilting movements between the support and the cleaning head. 